George Clooney played a charming handyman with a mullet and a ready quip on "Facts of Life."

But maybe that's not enough retro embarrassment for you. Inspired by the remake, here are six delightfully discomfiting entertainment offerings from the 1970s and 1980s that should make a 21st century return.

George Clooney's mulletHe's a frequent magazine cover boy and Sexiest Man Alive candidate today, but back in the go-go '80s he played handyman George Burnett on boarding-school sitcom "The Facts of Life." He delivered groan-inducing jokes to Tootie, Natalie, Blair, Jo and Mrs. G, all while sporting acid-washed jeans and a mullet that would make a midwestern hockey player proud. Clooney's all Silver Fox and debonair now, with his villa in Lake Como, but that moment with the mullet reminds us that he wasn't always too cool for the room.

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Rachel Murray / Getty Images Europe

George Clooney

Hollywood’s sexiest on-again, off-again bachelor is a movie star in every sense of the term.

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She's the one -

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin are snapped on a dinner date celebrating a friend's birthday in Santa Barbara, Calif., on April 27, 2014.

The Oscar-winning actor and the British human rights lawyer got engaged in April. Clooney famously dated a number of women over the years after being married and divorced once and saying he wasn't very good at it.

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He's the 'Men" man -

Clooney poses on the red carpet as he arrives for the UK premiere of the film "The Monuments Men" in central London on Feb. 11, 2014.

AFP-Getty Images / AFP-Getty Images

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Boys club at 'Men' premiere -

Bill Murray, John Goodman, Clooney, Jean Dujardin and Matt Damon attend "The Monuments Men" photocall during the 64th Berlinale International Film Festival at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 8, 2014.

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Culturally sensitive -

In Clooney's 2014 film "The Monuments Men," which he co-wrote, produced, directed and stars in, he appears (with Matt Damon) as a member of an Allied platoon in WWII tasked with saving priceless artworks before they are destroyed by Nazis.

AP / AP

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Lost in space -

In "Gravity," Clooney plays veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski, who is stranded in space after debris strikes the space shuttle where he is working.

AP / AP

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Center stage -

Clooney accepts the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film on Nov. 9, 2013 at the BAFTA LA Jaguar Britannia Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Second best -

Fans of Clooney love to pose with his image, even if it isn't the real deal. Here, members of the public say "cheese" alongside a waxwork model of the actor in London on Feb. 13, 2013.

AFP - Getty Images / AFP - Getty Images

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Lady in red -

Sandra Bullock and Clooney stroll the red carpet together at the premiere of their new film "Gravity" on Aug. 28, 2013, which opened the Venice International Film Festival.

EPA / EPA

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Star power -

Clooney takes a boat to the Lido Beach at the 70th annual Venice International Film Festival on Aug. 27, 2013. He was there to promote his new film "Gravity," which was shown out of competition at the event.

EPA / EPA

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Three amigos -

Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and Clooney pose with the most prestigious Academy Award, a best picture prize for "Argo" on Feb. 24, 2013. Affleck starred, directed and produced; Clooney and Heslov, who often collaborate on films, were also producers on the film.

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Standing for a cause -

Clooney is arrested during a demonstration outside the Embassy of Sudan in Washington, D.C., on March 16, 2012. United to End Genocide, the Enough Campaign and Amnesty International held a rally to call on the United States and world leaders to stop the violence in South Sudan and prevent hundreds of thousands of people from starving. Clooney and several others, including his father, were released hours later.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Testify! -

Clooney smiles as he testifies at the Senate Foreign Relations Sudan and South Sudan: Independence and Insecurity hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington on March 14, 2012.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Oscar nominee -

Clooney, a best actor nominee for his role in "The Descendants," and girlfriend Stacy Keibler arrive at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Calif., on Feb. 26, 2012. Clooney lost to "The Artist" star Jean Dujardin.

The couple split in July 2013 after two years together.

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Another Golden night -

Clooney and Keibler pose with his award for best actor in a motion picture -- drama for "The Descendants," backstage at the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2012.

Reuters / Reuters

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Critics love him -

Clooney accepts the best actor award for "The Descendants" onstage during the 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards at The Hollywood Palladium on Jan. 12, 2012.

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Clooney for president! -

Clooney stars as a governor running for president in 2011's "Ides of March." Ryan Gosling plays his idealistic staffer who is quickly introduced to the dirty side of politics.

Columbia Pictures / Columbia Pictures

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Men of the year -

Gosling and Clooney pose at "The Ides Of March" premiere on Sept. 27, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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In the director's chair -

Clooney doesn't just star in "Ides of March," he produced, co-wrote and directed the film. Here he reviews footage with co-stars Evan Rachel Wood and Gosling.

Columbia Pictures / Columbia Pictures

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Name game -

Clooney signs autographs as he arrives at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of his film "The Descendants" on Sept. 10, 2011.

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Backseat driver -

Clooney and Shailene Woodley are shown in a scene from the 2011 film "The Descendants," in which he plays a Hawaiian land baron.

New York Film Festival via AP / New York Film Festival via AP

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That's life -

A tanned and happy Clooney arrives for the 68th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011.

AP / AP

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Supporting South Sudan -

Clooney attends voting ceremonies during the first day of voting for the independence referendum in the southern Sudanese city of Juba on Jan. 9, 2011.

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Night of honors -

Clooney and then-girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis attend the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights' 2010 Ripple of Hope Awards dinner honoring Clooney, Robert Smith and Marc Spilker on Nov. 17, 2010 in New York.

George Clooney

Clooney was joined by TODAY's Ann Curry on a South Sudan visit in Oct. 2010. The actor says the international community needs to step in. "If we get involved now, we have a shot," he tells TODAY.

The Enough Project / The Enough Project

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Armed and dangerous -

With James Bond on hiatus due to MGM's money woes, can Clooney fill the bill as the suave action hero of filmdom? Clooney, shown with Thekla Reuten, stars as an assassin who finds himself in trouble in scenic Italy in 2010's "The American."

Focus Features / Focus Features

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Seeking justice -

Clooney leaves Milan's law courts after testifying against three individuals accused of fraudulently using his name to promote a fashion label at Palazzo di Giustizia on July 16, 2010 in Milan, Italy. The actor testified as a civil plaintiff during the trial against the individuals running fashion label GC Exclusive by George Clooney.

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He's our guy -

Clooney accepts the Guy of the Year award at Spike TV "Guy's Choice" awards in Culver City, Calif., on Saturday, June 5, 2010.

AP / AP

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Lady in red -

Clooney and then-girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis attend the 82nd Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theater on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, Calif. The couple split in June 2011 after two years together.

WireImage / WireImage

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The Reitman stuff -

Clooney and director Jason Reitman attend a news conference for "Up In The Air" during Day 3 of the Rome Film Festival at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome on Saturday, October 17, 2009.

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When in Rome ... -

George Clooney and Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis walk the red carpet before a screening of the movie "Up in The Air" at the 4th edition of the Rome Film Festival, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009.

AP / AP

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Looking 'Up' -

Clooney plays an unapologetic corporate downsizer whose untethered life is consumed by collecting air miles in the film "Up in The Air."

Paramount Pictures / Paramount Pictures

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Got their 'Goat' -

Clooney stars with Ewan McGregor in "The Men Who Stare at Goats," a film about a down-on-his-luck reporter (McGregor) who gets more than he bargains for when he meets a special forces agent (Clooney) who reveals the existence of a secret, psychic military unit whose goal is to use paranormal powers to end war as we know it.

Overture Films / Overture Films

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Compassionate visit -

Clooney meets residents as he tours earthquake damage on the sidelines of a G8 summit, in St. Eusanio, near L'Aquila, Italy, on Thursday, July 9, 2009.

AP / AP

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High-level access -

Clooney speaks to the media following a meeting with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington on Monday, Feb. 23, 2009. Clooney was urging the new administration to take action on the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

AP / AP

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Movie night with dad -

Clooney joins his father, veteran journalist Nick Clooney, for a screening of the film "Good Night, and Good Luck," and a journalism panel at the Newseum in Washington on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009.

AP / AP

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He's used to whistles -

Clooney and Renee Zellweger, stars of the film "Leatherheads," arrive at the Historic Salisbury Station in Salisbury, N.C, on March 26, 2008, on the third stop on a Whistle Stop Express tour to promote their film .

Getty Images / Getty Images

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The usual laughs -

Clooney and Frances McDormand star in the 2008 Coen Brothers film "Burn After Reading" about two gym employees who try to blackmail a CIA agent over a computer disk containing his memoirs.

Focus Features / Focus Features

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Throwback -

Clooney is touted as "The Last Movie Star" on the cover of the March 3, 2008, issue of Time magazine. "He's a throwback to what movie stars used to be," friend Grant Heslov says in the article. "You see him and you think, Wouldn't that be a great life?"

Time / Time

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It's a snap -

Clooney directs and stars in "Leatherheads," a romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée.

Universal Pictures / Universal Pictures

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Boots on the ground -

Clooney, who has been designated as U.N. messenger of peace by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, visits the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, Sudan, in late January 2008.

UNAMID via AP / UNAMID via AP

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He comes in peace -

Clooney speaks at at news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York on Jan. 31, 2008, after being designated a messenger of peace. Clooney was joining eight other well-known individuals to campaign for U.N. causes.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Lucky 'Thirteen' -

In "Ocean's Thirteen," Danny Ocean (Clooney) rounds up the boys for a third heist and they're out for revenge after casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) cuts one of the original 11, Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould), out of a deal.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures

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Peace be with them -

Clooney and fellow actor Don Cheadle, left, are presented the 2007 Peace Summit Award by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at the city hall in Rome on Dec. 13, 2007. Clooney and Cheadle received the award from Nobel peace prize laureates for their campaign to help the people of Sudan's Darfur region after 4-1/2 years of war.

Reuters / Reuters

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Leg up on other ladies -

Clooney steps out with girlfriend Sarah Larson for the "Michael Clayton" premiere at The Zeigfeld on Sept. 24, 2007, in New York. Larson was injured during an accident while riding on the back of Clooney's motorcyle. The pair collided with a car in New Jersey.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Gotta hand it to him -

Clooney looks up as he places his hands in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on June 5, 2007. Clooney was out to promote his new film, "Ocean's Thirteen."

AP / AP

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Top of the heap -

Clooney's hectic year in 2005 was acknowledged with plenty of praise from his colleagues. In addition to his two nominations for "Good Night," he also won his first Oscar for best supporting actor thanks to his work in "Syriana."

AP / AP

George Clooney

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Speaking out -

For Clooney, 2005 was a year to be outspoken not only on screen but in person. He hesitated to attack the Bush administration directly, but was unequivocal about his own liberalism, and about the political messages in "Good Night" and in "Syriana," which depicted a tangle of power struggles in the Middle East.

AP / AP

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'Good' fortune -

Clooney went behind the camera in 2005 to direct "Good Night, and Good Luck," about Edward R. Murrow's battle against Sen. Joe McCarthy. His second feature film received tremendous praise, and Clooney himself scored two Oscar nods for best director and best original screenplay.

AP / AP

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Not feeling Friendly -

Clooney worked on both sides of the lens for "Good Night," portraying rumpled (and not especially dashing) but talented TV producer Fred Friendly.

Warner Independent Pictures / Warner Independent Pictures

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Family ties -

Clooney shares a moment with his father Nick and his mother Nina at a 2002 tribute to Rosemary Clooney, George's famous aunt. Two years later, Nick Clooney would launch a campaign for Kentucky's 4th congressional district. Despite well-stocked campaign coffers (thanks, at least in part, to some Hollywood fundraisers) he lost the race.

Zuma Press / Zuma Press

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Behind the camera -

In 2002, Clooney stepped to the other side of the camera, directing "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," the somewhat-true memoir of game show producer Chuck Barris, which co-starred Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell. Though reviews were mixed, Clooney got credit for attempting an audacious project without an obvious Hollywood hook.

Miramax / Miramax

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What a team -

Clooney's efforts in "Ocean's Eleven" wouldn't have been possible without his co-star, Brad Pitt. The two were close both on- and offscreen. Here, along with Pitt's then-wife, Jennifer Aniston, they check out an Armani collection during a 2001 Milan fashion show. Clooney is no stranger to Italy, having bought a villa on the shores of Lake Como in 2002.

AP / AP

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Stirred, not shaken -

Never was Clooney's dashing rogue persona more perfect than in 2001's "Ocean's Eleven," in which he teamed again with Steven Soderbergh. Clooney's portrayal of unflappable thief Danny Ocean (with Julia Roberts as Tess, the ex-wife he can't quite give up) was a dazzling combination of Rat Pack suave and modern smarts. The film put to rest any doubt that Clooney was an A-list star out of the glamorous mold of Hollywood's past.

Warner Bros. / Warner Bros.

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Giving back -

Clooney speaks at a Dec. 12, 2001, news conference for the September 11 Fund as fund CEO Joshua Gotbaumb looks on. In the months after the terrorist attacks, Clooney was instrumental not only in fundraising but in corralling Hollywood star power to produce "America: A Tribute to Heroes," a televised memorial to the World Trade Center victims that raised over $100 million. It was a sign that Clooney had found ways to harness his celebrity for worthy causes.

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Calm in the 'Storm' -

Clooney explored his dramatic roots with a leading role in "The Perfect Storm." He played Billy Tyne, the real-life fishing-boat captain whose craft vanished in a massive freak storm off the shores of Massachusetts. Despite major buzz, "Storm" never gathered quite as much momentum as the surprise success of "O Brother."

Warner Bros. via Zuma Press / Warner Bros. via Zuma Press

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'Brother'-ly love -

Clooney (second from top) went for something completely different in the Coen brothers' 2000 bluegrass-tinged comedy, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" As a bumbling convict in a tale loosely based on Homer's "Odyssey," Clooney got to stretch his pipes for the film's singing scenes -- only to have his voice dubbed over, despite his having practiced singing for weeks.

Touchstone Pictures / Touchstone Pictures

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Paying off -

"O Brother" was a sharp shift in tone for Clooney, but it didn't go unnoticed. He won a 2001 Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy for his efforts.

AP / AP

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Paging Dr. Ross -

Needless to say, the pivotal event in Clooney's career was his role as Dr. Doug Ross on NBC's "ER." He started with the show's pilot episode in 1994 and continued for five seasons. Clooney (pictured here in 1999) eventually wanted to pursue his film career and had the womanizing Ross written out of the show. The character eventually settled down in Seattle after fathering twins with head nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies).

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Midas touch -

Clooney put a slightly different spin on the lovable rogue theme with his role in David O. Russell's biting 1999 Gulf War action-satire, "Three Kings." Clooney, Ice Cube and Mark Wahlberg played U.S. soldiers who uncover hidden treasure in the Iraqi desert.

Warner Bros. via Reuters / Warner Bros. via Reuters

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Back on track -

Clooney's movie career didn't suffer long after "Batman." The following year, he starred in Steven Soderbergh's "Out Of Sight." Clooney's portrayal of Jack Foley set off a chain of charming thief roles for the chisel-jawed actor. It also marked the start of a fruitful creative partnership between Clooney and Soderbergh that continues today.

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Odd 'Man' out -

Clooney followed his stellar on-screen selections with at least one dud: 1997's "Batman and Robin," in which he put on the famous cowl alongside Chris O'Donnell as youthful sidekick, Robin. Clooney did a capable job of portraying the caped crusader, but a lagging script and some puzzling touches by director Joel Schumacher (the rubber nipple suit, anyone?) left fans unimpressed.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Ladies' man -

Clooney with his then-girlfriend, French actress Celine Balitran, at the 1998 Emmy awards. Clooney's love life has largely remained a mystery, and after divorcing wife Talia Balsam in 1993, he has since vowed never to remarry. Guessing who Clooney might be dating has become an ongoing parlor game for celeb-watchers.

Getty Images / Getty Images

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Big daddy -

Clooney's fondness for the small screen didn't keep him from some marquee moments on the big one -- and 1996 was his banner year (if you discount his role in 1988's "Return of the Killer Tomatoes!"). Clooney had starring roles in "From Dusk Till Dawn" and in "One Fine Day," opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, shown here with him and child actors.

Getty Images via 20th Century Fox / Getty Images via 20th Century Fox

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Look who's walking -

Clooney and Connie Selleca in a promo still from the 1990 ABC series "Baby Talk," a spinoff of the "Look Who's Talking" movie franchise. Neither actor stayed long on the short-lived series. Selleca quit before the series went into regular production, and Clooney departed soon after.

Toronto Star via ZUMA Press / Toronto Star via ZUMA Press

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Just the 'Facts' -

Before his "ER" days, Clooney hit the small screen in 1985 as charming, mulleted handyman George Burnett on the NBC sitcom "The Facts of Life." Imagine the show's mousse budget.

NBC / NBC

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Growing up George -

Born in 1961 in Lexington, Ky., Clooney was raised outside Cincinnati, where his father, Nick, was a TV anchor. The A-list actor has one sister, Ada (pictured here), and several famous relatives: Singer Rosemary Clooney is his aunt, and his cousin is actor Miguel Ferrer.

Splash News via Newscom / Splash News via Newscom

'Battle of the Network Stars'Here's what we want: We want "Homeland's" Claire Danes paddling off in a kayak race against Sofia Vergara of "Modern Family." We want "Sons of Anarchy" star Charlie Hunnam captaining the FX team and screaming in the face of Andrew "Walking Dead" Lincoln, claiming the AMC team cheated during Simon Says. We want "Battle of the Network Stars" to make a comeback, and be taken as seriously as the World Series or Super Bowl, with McDonald's handing out "when NBC wins, you win" stickers on large soft drinks and team jerseys for sale at sporting-goods stores. Famous one-time "Battle" Captain (and Mis-tah Kot-tah!) Gabe Kaplan's still around, right? Who's got his number? His country needs him.

'After School Specials'Kids today probably don't need the "After School Specials" that their parents once watched while lounging in their living rooms on stylish shag carpet. Schools and parents are more in tune now to introducing topics such as alcoholism, teen pregnancy and child abuse, and when's the last time you saw a kid out hitchhiking? But back in the day, subtly named specials such as "Schoolboy Father" (spoiler: it was Rob Lowe!) and "The Boy Who Drank Too Much" (Scott Baio!) taught kids right from wrong. Don't tell us we couldn't use that again. We'd sure prefer it to another round of "Teen Mom."

Today

Love, exciting and new: "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" once made Saturday nights special.

'Love Boat' and 'Fantasy Island' SaturdaysWhat's on television Saturday night these days? Does anyone know? In the 1970s and 1980s we sure did, tuning in religiously to the powerhouse block of "Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island," right in a row. It was two hours of tropical fantasy that gave kids snowed in during yet another eternal midwestern or East Coast winter a chance to dream of a warm laugh-filled adulthood, where we'd be trading jokes with Gopher and Julie our cruise director, and hunting for Amelia Earhart courtesy of Mr. Roarke and Tattoo. Heck, they don't even need to make new episodes, just run the old ones. Our nostalgia gene will be satiated, at least for one night.

Variety showsRosie O'Donnell tried to bring the variety show back in 2008 with one-episode-failure "Rosie Live." But in the '70s and '80s, variety shows were handed out like bus tickets in Hollywood, with The Brady Bunch, The Carpenters, Captain and Tenille, Donny and Marie Osmond and even The Starland Vocal Band landing shows. Some featured ice skating, some synchronized swimming, and all featured an awkward blend of singing, dancing, bad jokes and even sequins to satisfy even Liberace. Who would have one today? The battling Jonas Brothers, snarling digs at each other the way Cher once did to Sonny? The cast of "Glee," pretending their fictional bonds are real, as the "Brady" cast had to? It's a guilty-pleasures genre that's ripe for renewal.

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Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

A book co-written by a TODAY.com producer looks at the lost toys, tastes and trends of the 1970s and 1980s. Where are you, Quisp cereal, Malibu Barbie, and Dynamite Magazine?

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Dynamite magazine -

Forget Highlights -- the cool preeteen read in the 1970s and 1980s was Scholastic's Dynamite Magazine. Sure, there were celebrity features, but fans also recall the Dynamite Duo superhero stories, cartoon vampire "Count Morbida," "Foxy Fiddler" the colt and kid-submitted "Bummers," which paid a whopping $5 per selected gripe. It's just one of 200 items from the 1970s and 1980s fondly remembered in the new book, "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?"

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Atari 2600 -

Today, it's easy for Xbox aficionados to sneer at the simplistic graphics of the Atari 2600. But few gaming consoles have been as beloved. "Pac-Man" and "Frogger" were favorites, but fans also remember bizarre games like "Journey Escape," in which gamers tried to guide the band Journey to their spaceship. Don't stop believin'! Now new versions have been released, complete with the same cheesy fake-wood paneling.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Malibu Barbie -

The original Malibu Barbie came out in the early 1970s, but she was so beloved that multiple reproductions have been issued. This 2001 edition came with something the '70s original would never have dreamed of -- a bottle of sunscreen. Once more unto the beach!

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Barrel of Monkeys -

Barrel of Monkeys may have been one of the most low-tech toys ever made, but we loved them anyway. They're still around, and even made an appearance in the "Toy Story" movie series, where at one point the toys chain them together to try and rescue a fallen Buzz Lightyear.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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'Charlie's Angels' trading cards -

Boys had baseball cards, but girls fell for "Charlie's Angels" trading cards, issued in 1978 to capitalize on the hit show. The packs included stickers and that horrible dusty gum, and you were encouraged to collect them all and flip them over to assemble an enormous puzzle. No one ever did that.

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Candy cigarettes -

There's always a rumor that candy cigarettes have been made illegal in the US, but it's not true. However, many brands have relabeled them "candy sticks" or simply "candy," and they're harder to find. Check the bottom shelves of your favorite gas-station snack department, and smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Love's Baby Soft -

Love's Baby Soft was practice perfume, and even strict moms often gave their OK. Many an impassioned Oscar acceptance speech was delivered into a bottle of Love's, clutched firmly in a 12-year-old's hands. Need to reacquaint yourself with this sweet scent? We found it still being sold at Sears.

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Dapper Dan -

Dapper Dan had his cotton-stuffed finger on the fashion pulse of the '70s. He was supposed to teach kids to snap, button and zip, but really, he taught us a lot more about what colors do NOT go together. Dapper? Not so much.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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'Free to Be ... You and Me' -

A boy who loved his doll, a girl getting chomped by tigers, and a dog fixing a sink? They all lived together happily inside the pages of "Free to Be ... You and Me," which was also a record album and a TV special. A 35th anniversary edition of this inspiring Marlo Thomas project was released in 2008, and in 2010, Target used the main song in a TV commercial.

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Funny Face drink mix -

It wasn't Kool-Aid, but Funny Face drink mix was beloved by tribes of thirsty kids in the 1970s. Jolly Olly Orange, seen here, wasn't that flavor's original name. It started out life as Injun Orange, which was quickly yanked. Chinese Cherry was also hastily redubbed Choo-Choo Cherry, thanks to stereotypical drawings on the original packages. The drink is gone, but the plastic mugs live on in many a thrift store.

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Hugo, Man of a Thousand Faces -

Hugo, Man of a Thousand Faces was also the man of a thousand nightmares. He was kind of the boy equivalent of the Barbie Styling Head. You could affix any number of provided disguises on him, including a scary scar, a wig, glasses and a goatee. There's now an online version, of course.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Metal lunchboxes -

Some metal lunchboxes can still be purchased, but most stores sell softer meal containers now, which makes you much less likely to crown your playground rival over the head. Still, the designs on these retro boxes make our mouths water..."The Fall Guy"! "Starsky and Hutch"! "Holly Hobbie"!

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Mego superheroes -

Holy enduring memories! The Mego Superheroes were only 8 inches high, but they were super-powered in any kid's play arsenal. The female heroes, dubbed the "Super Gals," had bouffants that put the Ronettes to shame. Mego filed for bankruptcy in 1982, but the figures remain beloved.

Ensemble Creative / Ensemble Creative

'Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?'

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Mystery Date -

Open the door ... for your Mystery Date! This is the 1972 version, but this goofy game lives on today, as there is reportedly even a "High School Musical"-themed version. You try to collect the three cards required for each themed date, from skiing to a formal dance. If you opened the door to the Dud, the brainy dude with glasses, you lose your cards! We're pretty sure the Dud was Bill Gates.

Red Box Pictures / Red Box Pictures

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Pepsi Light -

The time is right! For Pepsi Light! At first, this lemony cola took out only half the calories, but eventually it moved to a one-calorie version. Its light burned out around 1986, but don't give up hope. Pepsi tried another lemon cola , Pepsi Twist, in the 2000s.

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Transistor radios -

Transistor radios came in all shapes and sizes in those days before iPods. This one's the Panapet, which was hauled around on a chain leash, a futuristic dog that barked staticky Barry Manilow songs.

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G.I. Joe -

G.I. Joe first invaded toyboxes in 1962, but in 1975, he was relaunched as part of an "Adventure Team." Kids fell for his Kung Fu grip, even though all it did was replace his hard-sculpted hands with soft rubber. That phrase lives on: In the 2009 movie "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," Marlon Wayans' character comments that another character has a "kung fu grip."

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Pop Rocks -

Pop Rocks were the candy that fought back while they were inside your mouth. Eventually they spawned a glorious urban legend about Mikey from the Life cereal commercials chowing down on Pop Rocks and Coke and exploding. Not true, but still fun to torment your little sister with. Pop Rocks live on, and there's even a chocolate-dipped version.

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Pudding Pops -

Pudding Pops is actually a generic term, and more than one company make them. But the most famous variety came from Jell-O, and Bill Cosby made their ads ubiquitous in the 1980s. They melted away in the 1990s, but returned around 2004, when Jell-O licensed the name to Popsicle. True fans complained that the shape and the recipe were different. We're not finding the Jell-O brand on shelves now, but depending on where you live, there may be other varieties.

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Quisp cereal -

Quisp and Quake cereals were released in 1966, and went to war in 1972 via a memorable ad campaign. There was a vote, and goofy alien Quisp beat out muscly miner Quake. You can still buy Quisp today, in certain stores and online.

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Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific -

Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo stood out by its name alone. There was no Gee, I Think Your Butt Looks Smaller jeans, or Gee, Your Breath Doesn't Smell Quite So Rank mouthwash. We loved the pop-art packaging and the sweet '70s scent. You can still buy this shampoo online at the Vermont Country Store.

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Scratch-n-sniff stickers -

Scratch-n-sniff stickers are still around, of course, but they exploded like a sneeze in the '70s and '80s. Sweet scents dominated, but daring kids were drawn to the savory stickers, even though "pizza" smelled less like tomatoes and pepperoni, and more like a late-night burp.

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'Six Million Dollar Man' action figures -

Few action figures were cooler than Steve Austin from "The Six Million Dollar Man," who came complete with a huge eye to look through and peel-back rubber arm skin that revealed his bionics. Bionic Bigfoot was his worthy adversary, but really, who wanted his boring boss, Oscar Goldman? Truly, the world's first inaction figure.

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Sweet Valley High -

There were approximately 50 jillion "Sweet Valley High" books in the 1980s. Liz was always a goody-goody, Jessica always a bit of a brat, and their sunny California town was teeth-shatteringly perfect. There's been renewed interest in the Wakefield twins lately. A new book, "Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later," came out in spring 2011, and Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is working on a "Sweet Valley High" movie.

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Fisher-Price Little People -

Fisher-Price Little People aren't so little any more. That crabby bully in the middle is an original, but he's surrounded by newer versions. They may be less likely to become choking hazards, but kids of the '70s and '80s still prefer the originals, which can be found easily at thrift stores and online.

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View-Master -

We're not claiming View-Masters are a 1970s original -- they first surfaced in the 1930s. But it did seem as if there was one at the bottom of every 1970s toy chest. And we all had a haphazard collection of reels, from favorite TV shows to tourist destinations. Get this: There is even talk now of a View-Master big-screen movie from DreamWorks.

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Wacky Packages -

Wacky Packages combined three of kids' favorite things: goofy commercial mascots, paint-peeling stickers and really lame jokes. Topps started cranking out new ones recently, and even paying homage to their retro legacy with stickers that parody classic 1970s products.

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Weebles -

You know what they say about Weebles: They wobble, but they don't fall down. For a while there, Playskool cranked out even weirder Weebles -- with arms! But in 2010, the original little ovals returned. Check out the new book, "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?" for dozens more lost items from the 1970s and 1980s.

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Videos on MTVMTV is like KFC. They don't really want you to know what one of the letters in their name once stood for. Music Television? Fried Chicken? Don't know ya! But back in the day, MTV was the place to go for the latest music, accompanied by videos that ranged from the classy to the crazy. Now MTV shuns the videos that once made it famous, and we want them back — yes, even naked Miley Cyrus swinging on her "Wrecking Ball." While we're dreaming, "Pop-Up Video," which used cartoonish bubbles to dish on the backstage secrets of the videos, needs a comeback, too. And get off our lawn.